Conglomerate owners banned from using duty-free passages at airports

SEOUL -- South Korean conglomerate chiefs will not be allowed to bring in personal effects through duty-free passages for airline and airport officials, customs authorities said Wednesday amid widespread public anger at a scandal involving the family of Hanjin Group chief Cho Yang-ho.

The Korea Customs Office (KCS) said Wednesday that the ban would be imposed on recommendations from an external advisory body. KCS officials have been under fire over alleged smuggling of luxury goods by Cho's family.

The move is aimed at preventing the owners of South Korea's powerful conglomerates, or chaebol, from delivering carry-on luggage or personal belongings through a legitimate loophole at airports to avoiding customs duties.

The customs office said passages for airline and airport officials would be under constant monitoring by security cameras. Legally, designated people such as the heads of government, parliament, court as well as foreign ambassadors and handicapped people are allowed to use such passages at airports.

Cho's wife, Lee Myung-hee, and his eldest daughter, Cho Hyun-ah, have been questioned over allegations that they brought in foreign luxury goods without paying duties through a legitimate loophole at airports. In May, customs officials searched secret chambers at Cho's home to find evidence.

Law enforcement authorities have launched a barrage of interrogations into the ruling family's illegal activities, abuse of power, assaults, tax evasion and smuggling of luxury goods.

Lee, 69, awaits a court decision on an arrest warrant requested by prosecutors over allegations that she has illegally hired 20 Filipino housekeepers without proper visas.

The request came on Monday, two weeks after a court refused to arrest Lee for verbally and physically assaulting company employees, housekeepers, flight attendants and security guards at her home, citing no possibility of running away or destroying evidence.

Lee is suspected of orchestrating illegal employment by controlling Korean Air's human resources department. She has been widely criticized as a typical example of "Gapjil" that means an abuse of power such as mistreatment, arrogant behavior, crude talk, character assassination, and insults.

Earlier, police accused Lee of hurling a pair of pruning shears at a security guard in his house for failing to take care of the house door properly, kicking a chauffeur for a mistake in the street, beating a gardener and slapping a construction worker.